The Mysterious DeVeau
by Sweetgrl8403
Summary: Raoul and Christine move to New York 8 years after marriage. The aristocratic couple attend the most aristocratic parties, however there is one person who throws the most lavish parties in New York and yet nobody knows who he is and Christine and Raoul are finally invited.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

1890

Ever since the move to New York, Christine's husband tried desperately to fit in amongst the wealthiest. Since he was a royal from France, everyone was intrigued when they met him. She stood quietly in the background at the small gatherings that the two attended, as he sipped back his champagne and entertained everyone with his American jokes while they laughed at his French accent.

The two were childless since their marriage 8 years prior. The loss of one child very early in their marriage made Christine no longer want to try despite her husband's efforts. He drowned his sorrows by moving them across the ocean after the death of his mother to start over. Ever since their move with their royal money, every other night was another party. But it was one hot July day when an invitation arrived for another party that would change everything.

Christine remained sitting in a chaise lounge on their front porch, listening to the faint sound of the city life that was miles away. Raoul came dashing up to the porch from the mail carrier and yelled enthusiastically,

"We finally have been invited!" She closed her eyes and wondered what party it was this time.

"To where?" she asked opening up her eyes to a slight summer breeze.

"To the DeVeau party! You should know that ever since we moved here, this mysterious DeVeau always throws the best parties on his giant estate. But the best part about it is that everyone important is invited and yet, nobody knows who he is! Isn't that marvelous?!" He said practically shouting and singing as he opened the screen door and marched loudly into the house. She sighed to herself and thought about another party, the thought exhausted her.

Going inside, she saw the invitation sitting on the front table by the front door. Raoul had already gone upstairs to change for a small get together the two were going to that evening. Christine looked at the invitation, it was just plain white and handwritten in elegant black handwriting. There was nothing special about it, so she wondered what was so special about these parties. She had heard of people speak of how his parties were absolutely over the top. A lot of music and dancing and wild shenanigans going on. But as Raoul had stated earlier, the man who threw the parties remained absolutely mysterious.

Later that evening, they sat at a small house party of their two closest friends and chatted amongst the ten others in the parlor as Americans called their main entertaining room. Raoul couldn't hold back his excitement to his friends to let them know that they had been invited to the DeVeau party. The couple that was hosting the party was a Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith from England and they instantly said that they had been to DeVeau's parties and that he was an ex-murderer who inherited his entire father's fortune and remains anonymous to conceal his identity but loves to party. He parties amongst everyone and yet no one knows who he is.

"Oh that's ludicrous!" Christine said with a smile taking another sip of her wine. When she had too much to drink, she usually said things she should keep to herself and Raoul gave her a little jab in the ribs and a little smile.

"It's true I tell you." Mr. Goldsmith told her with a smile. "If you can pick out who he is amongst the crowd, then he will give you a personal tour of his entire estate, and I tell you, I would love to tour that estate, so large and full of mystery." Mrs. Goldsmith's butler filled Christine's wine glass back up as she smiled and said,

"If I find out who DeVeau really is, I will let each of you know his secrets. However my loving husband comes first in knowing." She said smiling at Raoul. She really hated becoming this way, however it was almost as if she didn't party and drink her wine, Raoul found her rather boring. He enjoyed the party life and seeing his usually quiet wife, actually speak about what was on her mind.

A mystery guest to their group was a younger woman, a distant friend of Mrs. Goldsmith. Mrs. Goldsmith told Christine earlier that evening she was a spinster named Lizzie Bowen. Everyone in the group was under the age of 30 and this woman was the only unmarried one and very beautiful. She stood up and walked over to the piano with her martini and said,

"I've met the famous DeVeau." The group quieted down and someone said,

"Really?" She took a sip from her glass and replied,

"Yep. My tip for you DeChagny is to remember that every party he gives is a masquerade. Everyone wears a mask of some sort. If you don't wear a mask, you don't get in." Christine didn't like masquerade parties. Ever since she was in Paris and the last masquerade she attended 9 years ago turned out to be disastrous, she didn't ever go to another one. Her buzz quickly turned into sobriety as she heard the words masquerade. But then she remembered that this was New York and everything here was different and her past was behind her. She was a different person here in America.

"Well we will see how it all turns out." Raoul said taking a sip of his wine. Christine placed her glass down by a nearby table and Raoul drank his down in one gulp and announced that they would have to leave for the evening. He could tell that his wife was a little on edge and he wanted to take her home.

When they arrived back to their house, she saw the invitation still sitting on the front table.

"How do you feel about going to a party of a murderer's?" She asked looking up from the invitation and seeing Raoul taking off his hat placing it down. He sighed and walked over to her placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I think that woman is crazy. She claims to know this DeVeau, how would she know him? Nobody knows him." She smiled up at him, despite how uneasy she felt, just his touch alone was enough to reassure her.

"If I thought it was dangerous, I would never consider placing you in that danger." She placed her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She took in his smell, it was the same smell he always had even as a child. She breathed deep and smiled, this was the safest place she ever had been and she was so grateful that she was able to be in his embrace.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I have decided to redo Chapter 2. The first part is the same, and even though we all can guess who DeVeau is, I didn't want him to reveal himself to Christine right away. On to the next!**

Chapter 2

The rest of the week flew by and before Christine could realize it, Saturday had arrived. She sat in her hairdresser's chair and listened to her hairdresser tell her how lucky she was to be going to the great DeVeau's party. Placing a headband into her loose hair, she looked at herself in the mirror and realized how modern her hair was. She thought about her dress that she was going to wear, a red gown with beads and sequins that would sparkle the whole party. She was a little nervous since it was cut a little lower than she preferred in the chest and revealed her shoulders.

Regardless of how people who found out she was going to a DeVeau party were envious, she was nervous and wished she wasn't going. What if Raoul was wrong and he was a murderer? Was that why masks were required? She just didn't understand any of it, and she kept trying to analyze it instead of being a socialite and getting excited about it.

That evening, her dress was on and her gloves were pulled up to her elbows. Raoul had his tuxedo on and their carriage pulled up to a giant building. This was the largest estate in America that she had ever seen and the gardens and fountains surrounding the front were exquisite. Their carriage waited in line until finally what seemed as an eternity, they were at the front door. Christine's heart pounded in her chest as she stepped out and looked up at the giant door. Music floated out as the door was opened and she stepped in. The music was very loud and masks were everywhere. She placed her hand upon her red mask as Raoul led her through the hallway and into a large room where drinks were everywhere and people were laughing and dancing wildly to a faster paced music she had never heard before. Raoul smiled at her and yelled,

"Isn't this great?" She smiled at him and he placed a drink in her hand. Something made a popping sound and confetti was everywhere. The crowd went wild and started shouting for more, and more appeared. This was something she had never seen before and she started to relax and enjoy what was happening around her. Raoul began to pull her again and led her into another room which was where the music was coming from. People danced wildly like they had in the previous room and she noticed that there was a pool in the middle. The room was surrounded by glass and she could see the night sky through the party. Raoul led her up the stairs and onto a balcony overlooking the rest of the crowd. They finally found an empty table and sat down.

"What do you think?" Raoul said smiling and grabbing another drink at a passing waiter. Christine smiled and replied,

"I don't know what to think, I have never seen anything like it before." As she and Raoul continued to talk, she was unaware of one of the thousands of masked figures staring at her. Would tonight be his entrance, he might lose her if he didn't reveal himself to his party. But yet, that would take away the mystery of his parties that he so much adored. Raoul finally excused himself to use the facilities and the mysterious DeVeau who had thought about this moment since he had seen his love in the newspaper. He had to do something. Before he could control himself, he found himself walking towards her. Christine turned to see a tall man with a formed fitting tuxedo with a long black coat that hung to the floor. A small gold crown in the shape of leaves crowned his slicked back black hair and a shining gold mask to match.

"I'm glad you were able to come tonight Mrs. DeChagny, I am DeVeau." She smiled, rolled her eyes and replied,

"So you mean to tell me that if you are truly the mysterious DeVeau, you are going to reveal yourself to me so easily? Who are you and how do you know my name?" She said admiring his gracious movements as he sipped on his cognac. He took a small breath in and replied,

"I'm one of the most powerful men in New York, I know everybody in this city. Anyone worth knowing that is." She took a note of his slight French accent and replied,

"You're French I see." He smiled beneath his gold mask and holding up a gloved finger said,

"Now that's where you're wrong. I am now a full blooded American. Are you?" She looked down and then looked back up,

"Not yet. However my husband and I are hoping to be."

"Oh yes, you're husband. Such a clever boy he is."

"You know my husband?" She asked quizzically.

"Why yes, I have met him quite some time ago. The fact is, I really don't see how you two are together. He loves to run with the party crowd, and you are more of the quiet type, until that is you've had more than your fair share of wine. Which reminds me, would you like another?" He said taking note of her empty glass. Something about this man's grace and smoothness in his voice made her quite uneasy. She kept looking around for Raoul who was nowhere to be found, however she thought that if he didn't come soon, she would faint with dizziness from this man's smooth voice. She leaned heavily into her chair and replied,

"No thank you." The two remained quiet for a moment while he took the rest of his cognac in one big gulp and placed it on the small table.

"So why have you decided to reveal yourself to me so easily, when people come to many of your parties not knowing who you are." He sat down in Raoul's seat across from her at the table and pointed to the crowd below dancing wildly.

"Those people down there are not classy enough to know me. You sat here with your husband, sipping on your wine. When he left, you continued to sit here like a lady with elegance. I only surround myself personally with people of elegance. Those people down there, they are people who have to be invited in order to surround myself with sophistication." She looked at him with confusion and he saw Raoul in the distance talking to someone and asked her,

"Do you want to know more of my secrets?" She didn't respond and he laid down a small card on the table,

"If your curiosity gets the better of you, come back alone and you will see a world you have never known." He walked away swiftly and she picked up the card that just said _The Mysterious DeVeau_ placed it in her red sequined pocketbook.

Raoul returned to the table and said,

"Turns out there are more people that we know over there. Come on darling, let's go over." She grabbed his arm before he could fully walk away and asked,

"Did you see someone over here with me at the table?" Raoul looked around slowly and said,

"No I did not. Why?" Christine's thoughts ran wild as she looked around without a trace of the man who had just approached her.

"Are you all right?" Raoul asked staring at his wife with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine. Nevermind that I asked, let's just go over to your friends." He took her hand and they went off to talk to some more people.

DeVeau watched from high above, there was a room surrounded by glass overlooking the entire pool area. He sat in the dark, just watching his party guests and of course, Christine as she chatted amongst the others and looked around uneasily. She was looking for him. He smiled to himself, for he would stop at nothing to have her back.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

DeVeau sat at his desk with his assistant sitting in front of him. The two were paying the bills of his estate with revenue he had brought in from his Metropolitan Opera. He was one of the wealthy businessmen who owned the opera house but was able to keep himself anonymous, with his well-paid assistant speaking for him.

"Sir, I need the money for the electric already." DeVeau sighed behind his mask and replied,

"James is it time for that already?"

"It is sir." DeVeau wrote another check and handed to the man across the desk. James stood up and closed the office door so no one could hear what he was about to ask his boss. DeVeau looked up and watched him walk back to his seat wondering what he was going to ask.

"How do you want me to set up your meeting with Mrs. DeChagny? I know you mentioned that it was something that needed to be discussed soon." DeVeau sat back in his chair putting his hands behind his head and replied,

"Yes, I have been thinking about it too. Maybe we should bring her to my private sitting room. Decorate it with all sorts of flowers. I want flowers to cover every surface." James began writing all of this down and asked,

"Any particular kind, Sir?" DeVeau clicked his tongue in thought and replied,

"Roses, and only red ones." He thought back to when he used to send her a rose after each of her performances

"When did you invite her to come?"

"Tomorrow." James hid his panic and stood up.

"Is there anything else I should know before I get to work and post these checks?" DeVeau stood up as well and said,

"Don't tell anyone else about this." He handed James some money and the assistant left the private office. DeVeau got a faraway look and walked over to the window to stare down at the open field of his estate. The cool spring breeze blew the trees and the sky didn't have a cloud in it. DeVeau wished that he could take Christine on a walk down there tomorrow after their initial meeting.

Christine sat on their back porch turning the invitation over and over. The writing looked familiar but it couldn't have been familiar. She was intrigued to accept the mysterious DeVeau's invitation, especially since a few days before her husband embarked on a ship to cross the ocean to visit his father. Christine couldn't handle crossing the ocean, when they moved across to America she was so sick the entire way that it continued on even after she had arrived. Raoul decided it would be best if she stayed behind, and Christine didn't mind due to the fact that she would get a small break in all the parties they always attended.

However this invitation wasn't to a party, at least not a large one. She was invited to come at three in the afternoon. She jumped nervously as the cool breeze blew over her glass of lemonade and broke it on the ground. Looking out at the setting sun, she could only wonder what was going to happen tomorrow. She rang her bell and the maid appeared in the screen door.

"Can I help you ma'am?" Christine stood up and replied,

"I'm going to take a ride, and my glass was blown over."

"I'll get it right away ma'am." Christine smiled and replied,

"Thank you." Christine walked through the large yard to the stable. She stood in the barn and patted her white horse, Fidelio. She began to saddle her horse and decided that she wanted to ride out to DeVeau's estate and see what she could figure out without a party. As she rode out of the barn, the sky began to get a little cloudy as if a summer storm was developing in the distance. She paid no attention to the weather and took off towards the DeVeau estate.

An hour later, thunder was rumbling and she slowed Fidelio down to a walk while she was greeted by a gardener. He was an older man with a kind face,

"May I help you ma'am?" He asked taking his hat off and wiping his brow. Christine smiled at him and looked at the enormous estate that sat behind him.

"Why yes, I was looking for Mr. DeVeau." The old man furrowed his brow and asked,

"Do you have an appointment?" She smiled again at him and replied,

"I just need to find somewhere to leave my horse in the storm." The man didn't question anymore and walked her and her horse to the guest stables. He then walked her along the path to the front door where James was just stepping out. He looked up to see Christine approaching and greeted her,

"Hello Mrs. DeChagny, I haven't seen you or your husband in quite a long time."

"Well hello James, it is nice to see you again. What are you doing here?"

"I work here, quite the contrary, what are you doing here?"

"I am here to see Mr. DeVeau." James laughed and replied,

"You weren't invited until tomorrow."

"So you must have been invited tomorrow as well?" She asked.

"I work for Mr. DeVeau, I know everything that happens around here."

"Well, since you're such a high employee, please tell him I came to meet with him." James laughed and replied,

"He's not going to meet with you today."

"Well, I will wait right here until he does. However, tell him I would rather wait inside and out of the storm." She boldly walked past him and opened the large heavy door. James' mouth dropped open as she did what she did and he quickly ran to the older gardener and urgently asked,

"Have you seen DeVeau?" The man looked at him and replied,

"The last time I saw him was a couple hours ago working on that broken railing on the eastern side of the main house." James took off running as a crackling thunder rumbled above them and the old man headed for the greenhouse. He reached the eastern part of the estate where the broken railing to the lower balcony was. He looked up and saw a hammer and an open box of nails. Lightning flashed in the dark sky and James quickly grabbed the hammer and the box and took off towards DeVeau's private workshop.

He finally reached the barn and pushed open the door against the wind and found DeVeau inside standing at the work bench sawing pieces of wood. When the door slammed behind James, DeVeau jumped and turned around,

"Good Lord James, what are you doing out here?" DeVeau adjusted his crooked mask and wiped his hands on his faded trousers and tucked his shirt back into his suspenders.

"Well Sir, Mrs. DeChagny is here." The thunder cracked again and DeVeau asked loudly,

"What did you say?"

"I said, Christine DeChagny is here and insists on seeing you!" Panic came over the left side of DeVeau's face and he quickly threw down his tools and ran out the door. James followed but struggled to keep up with DeVeau's tall legs and quick run.

Christine was admiring the large hallway she was standing in. It was the same hallway she stood in the last time, except this time no one was in it. She looked inside the doors that were off the hallway and found a quaint little room with a fireplace, sofas and chairs. She left the door open and took a seat on one of the plush sofas. The lightning flashed out the window and soon she heard the rain start. The house was very quiet besides the storm outside which surprised Christine considering how large it was.

"Where did she go into the house?" DeVeau yelled through the soaking rain at James who was still running behind him.

"She went in the front door and then I came and got you." DeVeau ran around the side and came up to the front door soaked all the way through his clothes. He pushed open the heavy double doors into the dark hallway which the lightning lit up for a brief moment and he saw his tea room door open. James stood at the door and closed it, soaked and panting from their long run and watch DeVeau stalk down the hallway and look through the open door closing it behind him.

Christine was standing and looking out at the storm when she heard the door slam behind her. She turned around to see a soaking wet man in a familiar white half mask standing in the doorway. His clothes indicated that he was working and she had never seen him so disheveled.

"Erik, what are you doing here?" She asked loudly, almost shouting and leaning against the window trying not to faint at his appearance. He walked towards her not saying anything and she leaned even farther against the window, as if she was being haunted by his ghost.

"Oh Christine, I live here. I am DeVeau." She shook her head and replied,

"No, you can't be. You died. I saw it; I read it in the newspapers. They found your body underground with your house."

"No, they found a body. Obviously it was not mine." She stepped closer and touched his wet shirt, feeling his very live body underneath. She lowered her eyebrows.

"I don't understand." Afraid to touch her as he was all those years ago, he stood stiffly in front of her and replied,

"I was going to tell you tomorrow. But you obviously insisted on coming today."

"Not a day passed where I didn't think of you at least once." She said. DeVeau was surprised to hear this, but remembered their last night together. He thought that she would stay with him after the intimate moments they shared, but Christine made it clear that she felt pressured and couldn't refuse to marry Raoul, despite her feelings for Erik.

However, he didn't want her to leave once he poured his feelings out once again to her. Instead he lightened to mood to at least offer her something that could possibly make her stay.

"Would you like a tour?" She looked at him quizzically for a moment and slowly replied with a slight smile,

"That sounds all right."

"But first," he said backing up towards the door, "I need to change." She smiled again and looked at her feet as the thunder rumbled again and replied,

"I'll wait here."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I apologize that it has taken me a long time to get this chapter up, I ran into writer's block as well as a busy summer, however I finally got this one up and hopefully I will be able to get the next one up soon as well. Please review! **

Chapter 4

He left the room fairly quickly and Christine being inquisitive decided to follow him. She was still in disbelief that this was Erik, Erik from the dead, her angel of death, the Erik who threatened to kill her husband…yes, THAT Erik. And yet, there was a feeling inside her that was happy he was alive. She always wondered how life would be if she would have chosen him. She quietly tiptoed keeping her distance, years of ballet taught her to do this without making a sound. She saw him at the top of the grand staircase and stayed behind the banister as he turned down the hallway above. She climbed the staircase as well and turned the same way he did. She didn't know which way he had gone, the hallway was massive with rooms on either side and grand chandeliers all the way down. She walked slowly and barely saw him at the end of the hallway and she quickly pushed herself up against the wall breathing heavily. He turned around briefly talking to a butler and she quickly ran back the way she came and back down the grand staircase and into the tea room.

She sat in her previous spot next to the window and watched as lightning made a line in the distance. The storm had already passed the house but she could still hear the distant thunder rumble. She continued to wait even though her curiosity was nagging at her and she stood up to look at some of the books in the glass enclosed bookcases. She noticed a lot of books about fairy tales and wondered if Erik had really placed each of those books in there, for he didn't seem like the fairy tale type. Maybe she should run before he came back, she wasn't sure what to do and her mind continued to go back and forth until the door opened and he appeared in a more casual suit, not the formal tuxedo she was so used to seeing him in all those years ago.

He stood silently in the doorway watching her look through the glass of one of his bookcases. The books that were in them were chosen for the mood of the room, fairy tales were something that he never believed in, therefore those books remained behind glass. He took in the fact that she was there, waiting for him. He cleared his throat and she turned around to see him dressed in a black day suit with a walking cane.

"Those are not books from my private collection." She looked down at the floor and replied,

"I didn't think so." She stumbled to say something and he waited until she finally said,

"Excuse me for not knowing what to say, I truly feel like I am talking to a ghost." He remained silent and the silence became more awkward, Christine looked down at her hands and fumbled with her fingers.

"Would you like to see the rest of my house?" Erik asked. Christine nodded and followed him out of the room. When they got into the hallway Erik stopped and said,

"Don't follow me, walk beside me." Erik usually had a dominating mannerism and this sort of gesture surprised Christine. She walked up beside him and they continued on. He showed her the indoor pool and his library full of his own collection of books. Room after room made her head spin filled with his own personal taste in decorating. Erik always had to have the best. They were on the top floor when he led her to a small elevator and said,

"And now for my favorite part of the house." They stepped into the elevator and he took her down to the basement. She shuddered at thoughts of the past and he could sense her uneasiness. Stepping out, there was a fencing court in one room and in the next room there was a roller skating rink. She smiled and stepped onto the maple floor which he illuminated with electric light bulbs throughout the ceiling.

"Do you skate?" He asked. She smiled and said,

"I have only done it a few times but it was the most fun I have ever had in my whole life." He motioned for her to follow him over to where he had a variety of sizes of skates.

"Pick a size and do it." She smiled as she looked through the skates and finally decided on a pair. She skated nervously onto the floor and asked,

"Aren't you going to join me? There were times where we did enjoy each other's company."

"Erik doesn't usually play games with other people." She turned away and skated around the rink by herself. He debated with himself in his head; she has a normal husband why would she want someone like him who wouldn't even have fun with her. He went against everything and finally let his serious nature drop down and picked out a pair of skates as well. She saw him putting them on and taking off his jacket leaving his vest and white shirt underneath. She ran into the wall to stop and clapped her hands with excitement that he was going to join her.

"You know Madame, I skate pretty well." She smiled and skated off wobbling trying not to fall and he caught her imagining a nasty accident if he didn't. However with trying to catch her, they both fell and she started laughing to the point where it was hard to stop. Erik didn't ever laugh, however he did smile at the moment and she said,

"So you're a good skater Monsieur?" He continued to hold her and said,

"Usually I am when I don't have to rescue the beginners." She laughed again and he realized he was still holding onto her. He immediately felt his hands burning and he let go of her as if she were poisonous.

She noticed the way he let go of her and looking up at him she finally asked,

"Why did you bring me here? This whole thing was an entire plot."

"Of course it was. Why did I bring you here? Oh Christine, I have no idea why. When it comes to anything that has to do with you, I can't control any of my actions." Her face grew red and she turned away.

"You almost killed my husband and you say that you can't control your actions. You make me very, very nervous Erik." He raised his eyebrows and replied,

"Yes but there were times that you were completely yourself with me, for instance, just a minute ago. Don't you remember Christine?"

"Of course I remember how could I ever forget?! But Erik, you're always full of plots and schemes and this time it just will not work!"

"Then why are you still here?" She looked down at the ground not knowing the answer to his question. She stood up without falling and replied,

"I don't know why I'm still here and maybe I should go." He stayed in place and watched her slowly skate back and remove her skates and put her shoes on. He skated over to her and removed his as well. Lacing up his boots she stood next to him and he finally said,

"I just wanted to see you. There was not a plot to steal you away; I just wanted to make sure that he was taking care of you. To make sure that you were happy."

"How can I believe you?" He remembered back to the last night they were together when she asked that and he couldn't give her an answer. Finally he said,

"All I ever wanted to do was to make you happy. But you couldn't be happy with me."

"So that is why you left me by myself? The night before my wedding when I came to see you and bring your invitation that you requested? Don't you remember Erik? I woke up the next morning in my room and you were nowhere to be found. Then I read in the newspaper that you were dead. I woke up the next morning ready to commit to you and you left me." She said with anger and hurt in her eyes that had filled with tears that had not yet fallen.

"You know why I left you."

"Then why did you bring me back?" His head crowded with her questions and it had begun to spin.

"I already told you! It's not my place to steal you away from your husband!" She put her head in her hands with frustration and said,

"I can't do this with you Erik, I'm sorry, but I have to leave." With tears falling rapidly from her eyes she ran off to the elevator and opened it up loudly and slamming the door shut behind her taking it up to the main floor. He stood staring at the spot where she had run off already missing her and cursing himself for causing her to run off again. She ran through the main hallway that was now lit up from the sunshine and ran through the front door sobbing the entire way.

Erik reached the front door when he saw her ride her horse down the massive driveway at full speed. Tears pricked his eyes as his heart grew heavy. He had barely seen her and touched her and yet again she was gone. He wondered why he tortured himself like this, and remembered that his never-ending love for Christine caused him to do things that were not controlled. He punched the heavy frame of the front door and bloodied his knuckles. Feeling the warm trickle of his blood showing him that he was still alive despite how dead he felt inside made him feel worse.

He wished he would have died after their last night together like the newspaper stated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Three days had passed since Christine had last seen Erik, and she had every expectation within herself that it would be the last time she would see him, and she knew that the longer she could stay away from him, he would leave her thoughts. However, even after all these years, he still never completely left her thoughts. She tossed and turned in the great bed that she and Raoul shared. It was too big without him, and she couldn't figure out how to make herself not so hot in the summer heat. She didn't like to remove the sheets completely from herself, keeping them on despite how hot she was helped suppress her childish fears of someone coming in the room. Maybe she was afraid of Erik coming into her room, just like he used to, or maybe she wanted him to. She couldn't make up her mind and all she could think about was him, once again it was always him.

Erik roamed the hallways throughout the quiet mansion. He had been sleeping for the last seven days and only waking up at night when his hunger took over and he didn't have to see anyone. He continued to walk and think. It was ridiculous for an ugly, single man to have this entire property. Why was he so lucky to have such things but the one thing he longed for he couldn't get? He never could understand the answer to that question and it was true that money definitely didn't buy happiness. He continued to replay her question over and over in his head, why did he bring her to him? For his own personal gain, to be close to her one more time if he couldn't have her. He didn't have the courage to tell her that. He wondered if he had told her that if she would have stayed. He finally walked out onto the ground floor patio towards the front of the house and stared up at the clear night sky. Sitting down on a chaise lounge, he stared up at the stars and thought about his fate and of course Christine. It was always about Christine. Therefore, he decided to have another weekend extravaganza, maybe to lighten his mood a little bit and also to lure Christine back.

The next afternoon, Christine sat at a nearby restaurant with her friend Eleanor. She would consider Eleanor her closest friend even though Christine didn't allow anyone to know anything too personal.

"I got invited to a DeVeau party." Eleanor said sipping her water. Christine raised her eyebrows,

"Oh?" Eleanor looked down at her plate and back up.

"Jack doesn't want to go, but I really do want to go. Just to see what it's like."

"It's quite unlike anything I have ever seen." Christine replied taking a bite of her meat.

"Will you go with me?" Eleanor asked Christine eagerly. Christine coughed a minute choking on her food and then cleared her throat.

"Now Eleanor, you know that it is much uncivilized for us to go without our husbands."

"Well from what I have heard, the parties there are highly uncivilized." Christine couldn't say anything since she knew the shenanigans that went on at Erik's parties. Eleanor chattered on with excitement about how mysterious it was that no one knew who the host was but all Christine could think about was if she did go to his party, would she see him again. She rejected him only three days ago and yet the thought of going back excited her and made her nervous all at the same time. She had questioned herself for the past three days why whenever Erik is in her life, everything in her life was questionable.

"Please Christine, this may be my only chance." Eleanor sounded like a young girl and Christine couldn't help but say,

"All right, I'll go."

"When is the party?" She asked. Eleanor became pretty quiet and replied,

"Tonight." Christine's eyes widened and she almost yelled out with surprise,

"Tonight?!" Eleanor sank back into her seat.

"Yes." She said weakly and continued,

"I have it all planned out. Jack goes to bed around 9, so meet outside my house at 10 and we can take the carriage." Christine really didn't like all the sneaking around; however she knew that this is something that her friend really wanted, and secretly she was hoping to run into Erik again.

Erik walked around his house watching everyone working and putting up all the decorations and getting everything ready for another one of his parties. It wasn't really thrilling for him to have another party; it merely became something that he did. But chatting amongst his guests knowing that they didn't know the real him made him feel somewhat normal. He walked out of the pool room and up his private, secured staircase to the room that was quiet with glass windows overlooking the pool. James was there, stocking Erik's private liquor cabinet and when he heard Erik's presence he asked,

"How are you doing today Sir?" Erik remained silent for a moment and then gracefully sat down in a chair.

"Wondering if my plan will work." James went back to restocking and replied with his back turned,

"I'm sure she will be here."

Later that night when Christine and Eleanor walked up to the estate, music floated out the front door and Eleanor smiled at Christine.

"I've never heard music this wild before!" She yelled excitedly.

"Wait until you get inside." Christine replied but Eleanor was already two steps ahead of her with excitement.

When the front door was opened, masked faces were everywhere. Drinks were everywhere and Eleanor quickly grabbed one as a tray of them walked by. Christine led Eleanor to the pool room where the real action was happening.

"Let's look for DeVeau!" Eleanor shouted in Christine's ear. Eleanor's eyes lit up as she saw the amount of people dancing and swimming in the pool with their clothes on. The orchestra played wildly and confetti fell from the ceiling coating everything. Christine cautiously looked for Erik as she walked around the room.

"Come on!" Eleanor yelled putting a drink in Christine's hand and they stood by the pool until Eleanor was pulled in. Christine gasped as her friend did nothing but laugh and continue to dance in the pool. She smiled and sat at a nearby table by herself, continuing to look around.

Erik sat upstairs sipping his drink until he finally spotted her within the hundreds of people. Adjusting his mask, he stood up and walked out the door.

She spotted the familiar gold party mask he wore the last time she was there talking to someone. She continued to stare as he interacted with his guests, just like any perfect gentleman. If only he didn't have to wear that mask she realized who he was socially. He was a smooth talker and a handsome man. She imagined if he was able to live a normal life how their life would be together, and she grabbed the small gold ring on her left hand with her right hand and spun it around her finger thinking about how she shouldn't think things like that. However she continued to watch him move from person to person and finally he locked eyes with hers. She quickly looked away as she felt his presence move towards her from across the room.

He stopped at her table not knowing what to say except,

"Hello, are you enjoying the party?" She turned at his voice and replied,

"Erik, I don't know what to say."

"Just answer." He said.

"Yes, of course."

"I was hoping you would be here. Let's go somewhere quieter." Christine knew that she shouldn't, since all of their conversations always resulted in heartache, however her heart ached in her chest for her to go with him. She looked around and saw Eleanor standing in her wet dress talking to someone and stood up next to Erik. He weaved in and out of the crowd towards a glass door and led her outside.

"I promise I won't kidnap you." He said as he closed the party behind him. She looked surprised and said,

"I didn't think you would." He gave her a knowing look and led her around to a more secluded part of the grounds that overlooked the river and there were fountains lit up everywhere.

"Oh Erik, this is beautiful!" She gasped walking around the little pathways bordered by flowers from fountain to fountain. He watched in silent as she walked around and picked a red rose. Sitting down on a small bench she walked back to him.

"I wish I knew what to say about the other day." He started to say turning the rose stem in between his fingers.

"But you're married and I shouldn't interfere in that." He finished looking down at the ground.

"Yes, but what I can't understand is that when I didn't know you existed, my life seemed all right. I thought of you, of course. But now that you're back, I tried rejecting you and now I can't stop thinking about you. What does all of this mean? I just wish someone would tell me what to do." He stood up silently in front of her and looked down at her.

"I wish I could tell you what to do." He whispered. Her blue eyes sparkled and she reached up to pull his mask off and kissed him. It was bold and daring and she wasn't sure how he would react but she knew that she had to do it.

He had only been kissed one time in his life, and now for his second time, he knew where to put his hands and very lightly placed them around her waist as she continued to move her mouth and gently placed her tongue inside. He didn't know what to do, so he mimicked her movements back to her. It was as if their mouths fit perfectly together and when she pulled away, he didn't know what to say besides,

"Why did you do that?" She looked away from his hideous face and replied,

"I had to. I wanted to do that for so long." He quickly took the mask from her hand and put it back on. The silence was too quiet and Christine walked to the edge of the path down towards the river and watched a large boat cruise past. Erik walked up behind her and said,

"What do we do now?" She wanted him, and she had wanted him for a long time and this time she was going to allow herself to have him. She turned her head to see him and took his hand, pulling him closer to her and wrapping both of his arms around her. He felt his stomach turn in knots at her actions and his heart almost beat itself right out of his chest. However he remained steady in his position and she leaned her head back against his chest as they continued to stare out onto the water with thoughts of nervousness and excitement flowing through each one them.

"We stay together." She replied. He quickly let go of her and turned her around to look at him.

"Is that what you want?" He asked alarmed at her answer.

"I don't know Erik; I don't know what to do. I never have known what to do. I just know that I don't want to go home." She turned around again and he hesitantly put his arms back around her. She closed her eyes taking in his scent and touch and he whispered into her exposed ear,

"Then don't."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I apologize for the long delay in between updates, however I am still committed to this story and I will try to get updates out more quickly for all of you once I have some vacation in December. Please continue to read and don't forget to review at the end since I value everyone's opinion. Thanks! Also, this chapter is for mature audiences only. **

Chapter 6

Christine didn't say a word to Erik telling her not to go home. He quietly took her hand and led her to the back of the house, away from the party. As they entered the back of the giant house, it was so quiet and hard to believe that there was a major party going on. Erik was like a cat and looked every which way down the dark corridors and Christine whispered,

"What am I going to do about my friend? She needs to go home tonight." All she could see was the shimmer of his gold mask that looked down at her and he replied with a quiet whisper,

"I'll take care of her. She will be all right." She kissed him again and he stopped her.

"Not here." He took her hand and led her in the dark down a hall and up a large staircase. They continued down another hall and she could hear the faint music from the party and he took her up another flight of stairs. He finally opened a door and flicked on a light.

"Oh Erik!" Christine said gasping as she walked into the large room. It was his bedroom, but it was two stories high. It was a lot different than when she saw his bedroom in France. His bed was right in the middle of the room and there were cabinets on an upper balcony filled with clothes and closets full of suits and tuxedos. He removed his long gold cape and laid it across his bed. She continued to walk around looking at everything. He had bookcases full of books and of course a piano with music scores neatly placed on top of it. Everything had its proper place. She sat at the piano and watched as Erik turned his back to her and revealed a closet full of masks. Most were his traditional white mask, but she also saw some flesh colored masks as well as party masks. He chose a white one and placed his gold one in the closet. He adjusted it behind his head and closed his closet unaware that she was watching him. As he turned around, she looked away.

"If you want to stay here tonight, I have many other bedrooms for your comfort. I usually have a lot of house guests after these parties." He said in a voice that echoed in the large room. Christine was confused and didn't know what to make of what he was saying. She wanted to curse him for being so trivial. She sat silent for a moment and thought that she would have to be bold if she wanted to know what he wanted.

"What do you want?" She asked timidly hoping for the answer she wanted. His exposed eyebrow rose at her question and he didn't know how to answer. He didn't want her to feel forced, yet she was the one who kissed him and initiated their affection outside.

"I-I don't want you to feel pressured." He stammered. She stood up and walked across the room toward him sealing off any open space between them.

"I don't feel pressured." She whispered. For the first time he initiated any affection towards her without fear of rejection. He kissed her hard and hungrily. He didn't want to stop kissing her and she instantly gave into his ravish actions. He didn't want them to part and he was afraid that if he stopped kissing her that he would open his eyes and realize that it was all just a dream.

She pulled her lips from his and began to gently kiss his perfect cheek and down his throat to his collar. He didn't know what to do so he stood there like a fool taking in everything she was doing to him. She untied his bowtie and threw it down before unbuttoning his top button. He didn't want her to stop, he wanted her to keep going but not like this. He gently pushed her away from him and said,

"I can't do this." She looked as if she had been struck in the stomach. All air escaped her lungs as she watched him walk away from her towards the door of the room. He turned around and looked at her standing in the middle of the room and he switched off the light.

"I didn't want you to see any more than you have already seen." He said walking back to her. He nervous breathing slowed and she understood. He knew what was going to happen and he had waited years for this moment. He didn't want to ruin it now and he knew that she was a lot more experienced now that she was married than he was.

Christine fumbled in the dark looking for his bed as he watched her in the moonlight. She finally found it and sat down on the edge. He quietly followed and sat down beside her.

"So what do we do now?" He asked as she sat quietly. She smiled to herself and said,

"Oh Erik." And she confidently kissed him again. But this time she lay down as she kissed him. It was so dark in the room all she could make out was his outline and she took his mask off as he moved on top of her. She quickly tried again to unbutton his shirt and this time he let her as his fingers fumbled trying to get her costume off. It wasn't easy considering how many layers women wore and how the dresses were fit but he eventually worked the top layer off trying to be graceful. He could be graceful in a lot of things, but he decided that removing women's clothing was not one of them. She smiled as he grew more confident in what he wanted and what he was doing.

He gasped as he saw her small breasts spilling out of her corset and he knew that he wanted to see them and touch them right away. He quickly pulled that away as she freed him of his shirt and worked on his pants. She couldn't see the scars that ran across his upper body in all directions and all over but she could feel them as she moved her hands over his skin. He shivered at her touch and quickly went back to work to seeing all of her.

Once all clothing had been removed, he couldn't help the tension that was building up inside of him. He had to do what he wanted with her and he had to do it soon before he lost all control. He touched her breasts and grew more confident as he played with her nipples and watched as she gasped in delight at his touch. This made him harder and feel like he was going to explode, but he had to control it just a little while longer. He moved his hands down to in between her legs and could feel how wet she was. Wet from his touch and that made him even more confident. She lay there watching as he explored her body and she gently touched his member stroking it up and down. She knew that her husband enjoyed that, so she figured Erik would enjoy the same. He moaned out,

"Oh God you're going to kill me. I need to take you now." She smiled as she opened her legs more to allow his body to fit in between and gently with her hands guided him in. It was as if his body instantly knew what to do and he thrust inside of her, slow at first and gaining speed. He watched as her small breasts moved and bounced as he thrust harder and harder. Those two peaks were teasing him and he couldn't help but put his mouth on them and suckle her nipple harder with each gasp of hers to eventual give them a gentle nibble in between his teeth. His thrusting began to get harder and harder and he could feel the pressure of pleasure building more and more. Sweat formed on his brow making his hair wet and Christine screamed out,

"Oh Erik don't stop! Please don't stop!" He worked harder and harder as his sweat was transferred onto her as their bodies moved together as one. Finally after what seemed like an eternity to him, he felt an enormous amount of pleasure and release. He couldn't do anymore and Christine had the biggest climax of her life right before. He laid his head on her shoulder still keeping them connected. He didn't want to come outside of her womanhood just yet as his staggered breathing slowed down and his heart relaxed.

"Are you all right?" She finally asked stroking his wet hair. He finally pulled himself out of her and lay down next to her.

"Oh yes I am more than all right." He took her hand and kissed the back of it. She shivered and climbed under the blankets.

"I'm glad this happened. I love you Erik." She said quietly rolling over on her side and feeling tired. He didn't know what to do or say to that. He knew that he loved her and quietly whispered,

"I've always loved you." She smiled to herself and reached behind and grabbed his hand pulling him closer to her. He climbed under the blanket too and pressed his body against hers as she drifted off to sleep. He tried to sleep even though his body was exhausted but his mind couldn't stop thinking about what just happened and what was happening. He smelled her hair and held her tighter pretending that he was the one married to her and that he could do this every night. He didn't want to let go of this moment and he didn't want to fall asleep afraid that the moment would go by too quickly.

**Sorry it is so short and I didn't want Erik to actually be a sex expert his first time. So this is short and sweet, but there will be more scenes throughout the story and he will get better and better. Please review! Thank you for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Christine woke up the next morning fully refreshed from the best sleep she had had in a long time. She stretched and squinted at all of the sunlight streaming through the open windows. The long sheer curtains blew in the early morning summer breeze. She smiled a little looking around the large room that she slept in the night before. Erik was already out of the bed next to her and she could see the sheets pulled back and crumpled from where he slept. She sat up and saw that he had placed a woman's robe and nightgown at the bottom of the bed. She put it on and tried to smooth down her hair before venturing out of the room in search of him.

She opened the door to a long hallway and continued to follow it, around a corner. There were two hallways and she wasn't sure which one to take so she picked the one with the most sunlight and windows. She followed it until she heard some faint talking. The talking became louder and she followed more hallways until she stumbled upon a small dining room. Erik sat at the head of the table clad in his pajamas and lounging robe on top which went almost to the ground. His black slippers poked out from the bottom of the robe as he sat at the table talking to James and holding a teacup in his hand. James had a slew of papers in front of him and the table was filled with food, most of it untouched. They both looked up as she entered the room and stood up.

"Good morning, please have a seat." Erik indicated to the chair next to him. Christine shyly walked around the table to have a seat next to him, embarrassed to be in such casual dress in front of James. James didn't seem to be paying any attention and when they all sat back down, he continued to try to talk to Erik but he was snapping his fingers and indicated to a butler to get Christine a plate and some tea.

"I didn't know what you would like to eat, so I had a whole variety made up for you." Erik said to her cutting James off from what he was trying to say.

"Why don't we have this meeting later?" James finally said grabbing a leather case and putting the papers in them.

"That's a good idea." Erik replied.

"But sir, we should go over these this afternoon. Deadlines are coming up." Erik sighed and said,

"This is the first time in my life I have ever had someone else take care of my finances and other important things, therefore I think I know how it works. Come by later this afternoon."

"Very well then. It was good to see you again Mrs. DeChagny." James said with irritation in his voice. He walked out of the room and Erik sat back down. Christine didn't like the sound of her married name dressed in pajamas in another man's house. But Erik quickly changed her mood.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked her. He was unusually talkative, not at all like himself. She nodded at him while a butler placed a teacup in front of her. She fixed it up to her liking and took a sip.

"I really should go home today." She said placing her cup back down on the saucer. He looked at her and made a strange face on the visible side and replied,

"No. You see, I am having another party tonight. It's a smaller party this time, maybe only fifty people or so. And I want you there. I want someone to dance with, even if it's just for one night." Christine was very surprised at this; Erik never talked about his feelings or what he wanted with her. At least he didn't before. It had been quite some time since they talked about anything personal and usually she did the talking and he did the listening. She didn't say anything and he continued,

"I know that last night was a little strange, but won't you at least consider spending one more night with me?" Christine couldn't help but admit to herself that the previous night was enjoyable and she did enjoy waking up in his bed. But she also was married and what she did was very sinful. However, she knew that she had this passionate love for Erik, the same love she had years ago. It was a different love than she had for her husband and she wondered what it would feel like for one night just to feel like Erik's wife instead.

"I told you last night that I didn't want to go home. I look around this place and I think of last night and I wish that I had lived my life with you and done everything with you." Erik's eyes grew wide with her declaration. He didn't know what to say and just took a sip of his tea. The silence filled the large room and after what seemed like eternity he replied,

"I told you not to then and I will tell you the same now. You have a choice, but you must realize that one day you will have to tell your husband or me of your choice." Christine sighed and said,

"I will come back tonight." He smiled and hid it behind his teacup.

That afternoon, Erik gave Christine clothes to go home in and when she arrived, she went in through the back door to avoid being seen in men's clothing by the household staff. When she quietly made it upstairs into the comfort of her bedroom, she lay down in the bed and smelled Erik's smell on the clothes she had on. She smiled at the thought of his party tonight. Excitement rose up inside of her and she thought about how she wouldn't know anyone there and despite the fact that they would be wearing masks; she would get to pretend to be his wife. Then she glanced at the formal picture of her and her husband on the dresser. She loved Raoul, she never would stop loving him. But he didn't hold the darkness and mystery that she loved about Erik. Erik was powerful and yet mysterious. If she was with him, she would never stop learning. She would be swept up in a constant romantic life. She thought about all the times that her marriage felt dull on a day-to-day basis. How many mornings they would sit at the breakfast table and Raoul's face would be buried in the newspaper while she was talking to him. Erik never seemed to grow bored of her.

That conflicted feeling came back over her. What had she done the night before? Spending the night in another man's bed and even though she slept with someone she loved, she still didn't feel clean. A bath would be the key to make her feel better and get ready for that evening.

Erik floated around in the pool as the outside gardens were being transformed into a party area. Outdoor lighting was being added as the small orchestra was setting up their chairs and tables were being placed. He watched through the glass as the gardeners trimmed the flowers around the walkways and fountains. He smiled to himself and got out of the pool to James standing there next to a pool lounge.

"Good God James, you should not sneak up on me like that!"

"I'm sorry sir." James replied. Erik sat down on one of the lounges and covered himself with a towel. James took a seat next to him. Erik sighed and said,

"When are you going to stop calling me Sir?" James smiled and replied,

"When I am not employed by the most powerful man in New York." Erik smiled at that and shook his head.

"That's ridiculous. You're my best friend, my only friend at that." James stood up and walked over to the bar on the other side of the room and poured both of them a glass of cognac.

"I know it is." He said handing Erik a glass and sitting back down.

"Aren't you worried that this isn't going to last?" Erik took a long drink and looked out the large windows before replying.

"She won't stay. I know that. But at least I can pretend for now. We were meant to be together, she knows that. If she ever allows herself to realize that, she will stay. She will realize that." Erik wasn't making any sense to James. It was almost as if he was admitting the truth but then talking himself out of the truth, almost like he had false hope. James hated to see Erik in this much agony and yet Erik felt as if he was on top of the world. Erik finished his drink and sat it down. He dried his legs off and stood up.

"I better go get ready for tonight. I will see you soon." James watched sadly as his friend briskly walked away, almost with a sense of excitement in his walk. He knew Erik's business numbers and he knew what he was worth. Looking around at the room, he thought about how Erik worked so hard for this and only for the moments he was currently living in. She was the reason he was as powerful as he was, just to win her back. And he knew that Erik wouldn't win her back. It was sad to watch someone happily self-destructing.

That evening, Christine arrived early as instructed and was instructed by the butler to meet Erik in his bedroom. Her stomach did flip flops as she made her way through the large mansion to the upstairs and Erik's private quarters. The hallway to his bedroom was dark and in her imagination his bedroom door was the only thing lit up when it was just the light behind the door that peeked through the cracks. She stood in front the door waiting for a moment and not hearing any sound on the other side she knocked quietly. She heard his loud footsteps coming towards the door and her stomach turned into excited knots as she waited. He opened the door donning his normal white half mask. He did not have an elaborate outfit on as he usually wore at his other parties, but just a plain tuxedo with the bowtie missing and the shirt still open one button on the top. She could see half of his smile underneath his mask as he saw her in her black dress with lace covering it and her matching gloves.

"Come in my dear." He said opening the door all the way. She walked in and they stood awkwardly looking at each other for a moment before he boldly kissed her hand sending shivers at the thought of what they shared the night before.

"I'm glad you came." She smiled and took a seat in one of his chairs as he finished getting ready. She watched as he elaborately buttoned up his shirt and stood in front of mirror tying his white bowtie perfectly. He opened up his closet full of masks and pulled out a gold one that covered his eyes and his nose to hide his deformity and showed no expression. He chose a black one covered in lace to match Christine's dress for her. He handed her the mask and a glass of wine.

"I thought we could relax here first." She smiled taking the glass and he sat down in a chair beside her and took a sip out of his own glass.

"I can't believe this is happening. I just cannot believe that I am here with you. I have never forgotten you. You consumed my thoughts every day since all those years ago." Erik took a sip and cocked his head to the side and replied with a slight smile,

"Maybe that should tell you something." She didn't say anything but caught his eyes behind his mask staring at her.

"You're not going to tell him are you?" He probed her. She felt so confused and when he said things like that it only made her feel even more confused.

"Erik, I have spent one night with you. I have spent a lifetime with him." Erik raised his eyebrows.

"Oh so this is just about lovemaking?" She rolled her head around in annoyance.

"That's not what it's about. What am I supposed to do? Get a divorce?"

"It's becoming more and more common."

"It will ruin me, and him and you."

"I don't give a damn about my reputation. No one knows who I am anyways." He replied annoyed with that remark thinking that she knew him better than that anyways, considering his past.

"Well what about me?" She asked. He placed his glass down on a nearby small table and stood up.

"Forget it. We'll just be secret lovers, just like we always were." She gave out a sigh and said,

"We were never quite lovers like we are now." He got really close to her and replied,

"I could have taken you any time before last night and you know it. I lost control with you last night. I honestly was hoping that if I gave myself to you, you would realize just how much I love you and how much I want that for the rest of my life. It wasn't the act itself; it was the waking up to you still sleeping. Reaching over in the night and feeling your form there, knowing that I could live like that for the rest of my life. Knowing that another man takes that for granted and that is something I might only experience once in my life. I just want to know Christine, where is this going to go?" She wanted to cry at his wonderful declaration. As much as she knew Raoul loved her, he never quite said it like that.

"Oh Erik, please just give me some more time to figure this out. Just know that right now, I want you and nobody but you. I am bound in a legal marriage, and you know that he won't divorce me and I can't divorce him even if my mind was completely made up. Remember, I am only a woman, not a citizen of this country and with those two things, I have absolutely no rights." He leaned closer to her and replied,

"I am sorry. If this is what we have to do, for you, I will remain patient as I always have. I know that eventually you will make the choice you need to make." He stood up and fixed his mask and she placed hers on as well.

"Shall we go and enjoy ourselves?" She gave a small smile and replied,

"Of course." She took him by the arm as he led her out of the bedroom through a different door and they were closer to the party.

The orchestra was playing a slower song and people were dancing in couples around the fountains as some people made talk in groups sipping on their drinks. The air was warm and the sky was clear as could be. As Christine danced with Erik, she could feel his solid form beneath her. He was so charming in public when no one knew him and since his mask blended in with everyone else's, he could feel like a normal man. She gazed out at the moon reflecting off the water and closed her eyes. This was the most beautiful night and the most beautiful party.

"So is this what it would be like to be your wife?" She asked looking up at him. He looked down at her and replied,

"All day, every day." She smiled up at him and he spoke again,

"No, I think that if I were to have a wife, I wouldn't feel the need to have these parties all the time. Once in a while, yes, since we probably wouldn't have many friends or family, but I think I would rather have a more quiet life being able to just enjoy with something I always dreamed of having."

"Would you have any children if you had a wife?" Christine asked curiously. Erik furrowed his brow as he thought,

"No, I don't think I would. Though I guess nature would take its course if it just so happened to be. But I don't think I want any. What about you? Why don't you and your husband have children?"

Christine sighed at the memory of her first and only pregnancy. It was something she didn't want to remember, but she didn't cry at the memory, but very bravely stated,

"I had a son, but when he was born, he was already dead. After that, I never wanted to take the risk of going through something like that again."

"What about last night?" He asked her.

"I wasn't exactly thinking about all of this last night." She answered quietly so no one would hear this part of their conversation.

"We need to be more careful." He replied seriously as if he knew that they would repeat the previous night's act. Christine knowing now that the door had been opened wide knew that there was no avoiding the repeating act even if she wanted to could do nothing but agree with him. It made her wonder, and made her nervous. Her husband always followed the most popular and legal act of birth control, but Erik clearly did not do that the night before. Her mind began to spin wildly at the thought of what if, while Erik just dropped the subject. He didn't seem worried at all, in fact he wasn't worried. But now that the thought was in Christine's head, she would stop at nothing to make sure that he removed himself from her before any kind of conception could happen and how Erik would react to that she did not know.

**A/N: Yes this chapter ended kind of silly, but I wanted to touch on what the two of them thought at the possible consequences of their affair. This does not mean that Christine will be pregnant, I just thought it would make the story a little more real and a conversation that two people might have due to their circumstances. **


	8. Chapter 8

C hapter 8

Christine sat straight up in bed. She tried to figure out why the other side was empty and it was still dark out. She worried as she got out of bed and tried to find a robe to cover herself and find the person that was in the bed beside her when she went to sleep.

The full moon lit up the room through the dark windows and she could see one of the doors to the bedroom was open. This house was so huge she wondered if she would even be able to find Erik. She looked out into the dark hallway and kept her hand running along the wall since she didn't have a light. When she got to the end, she saw a faint light coming from the right and followed that hallway as the light got brighter and brighter. When she looked into the room from where the light was shining, it was empty. All of a sudden she heard faint piano music and continued past the lit room to the sound.

Once the sound was loud and clear she knew that Erik was playing the piano, but she never had been into his music room. The room had very large windows and the piano sat by the window where the full moon also shone in making the room very bright and lit up his white mask. He had on a dark robe, the same one he wore that morning that touched the ground. Christine's heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest at the sight of him and she lost her breath and turned back around and listened from the hallway as she leaned against the wall and held her chest where her heart beat wildly.

After composing herself she walked into the room and he glanced up at her but continued to play. She slowly walked over to him and he finally stopped playing and looked up at her. Her curly hair hung wildly around her face and down her back. She had on one of his robes and he knew she had nothing else beneath it. The thought excited him. They said nothing and she finally sat on the piano bench next to him. He boldly kissed her and continued kissing her without saying anything. She reciprocated and he couldn't help himself but to take her for the second time that night.

Instead of being shy like he had been the last two times they were together he grabbed the sash of her robe and pulled it letting the robe fall open exposing her naked body for him to see. She said nothing and allowed him to do whatever he wanted with her. He kissed her again and this time reached beneath her robe settling his hands on her sides and rubbing them up to her breasts where he touched each one and played with them until she let out a seductive sound. He stopped kissing her and looked at her as she said,

"Please do whatever you want with me. I'm yours." He planted kisses along her neck and down to her breasts where he sucked on her right nipple and then her left all while probing her secret place with his fingers. She wriggled with delight as his touch and he could feel how her body responded to him. He pulled her on to his lap and pulled her robe all the way off of her, then he lifted her up and placed her on top of the closed lid of the baby grand piano. He took all of his clothes off and climbed on top of her. This was far the most romantic place that Christine had ever done this and it excited her. She grabbed his shoulders begging him to push himself inside of her but he wanted to concentrate on her, and he did with his deformed lips on every place of her body, worshipping her. He cupped her breasts and kissed her in places she never knew she could be kissed. She looked down at his head in between her legs and how amazing everything felt. She could even feel his mask brush against the inside of her thigh, but she didn't care. She had never felt anything more amazing.

He finally came up to her face and pushed himself inside of her. He couldn't wait any longer and pushed harder and faster and they both screamed at how amazing everything felt.

"I love you." He kept saying over and over at the feel of her body squeezing him. He didn't want any of this with anyone else but her. He watched her tiny breasts bounce as she continued to thrust in and out of her and that excited him. He loved how when it was her time she would arch her back and curl her toes. Finally he felt it coming and he started to pull out when she said,

"Don't. I want to feel you and only you. I don't care, I just want this." He could think of nothing better and the fact that they could make a human being out of this didn't bother him, he just wanted her and wanted to fill her. And he didn't pull out and let himself go inside of her. He lay on top of her still keeping them connected as she stroked his wet hair and the good side of his face.

"Run away with me. We can start fresh somewhere new and nobody would even know us." He said to her. She smiled at the thought for it seemed so tempting.

"All right." She whispered. He looked at her and she smiled at him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight against his sweaty body.

An hour had passed and he was still playing the piano and Christine was asleep on a chaise covered in a blanket. He closed the lid quietly over the keys as the moon dipped low in the sky and he knew morning would be upon them soon. He gently picked her up and carried her all the way back to the bedroom. He laid her gently in his bed and he lay beside her. She opened her eyes slightly and smiled at the sight of him and scooted closer to him and put her head on his chest. He felt it was finally safe to take off his mask, so he did so and fell asleep next to her.

**A/N: I apologize this chapter is really, really short but I hope it was enjoyable!**


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